Little update: A big thanks to those who are following this story so far! In case you are wondering, this is a self-written story (an amateur attempt I know) during the days when I was fascinated by the stuff about knights, castles, kingdoms and sorcery, you get what I mean. For those who wish to check out the previous chapters, here's the link! With that let the adventure continue!
Chapter 36
Selera, together with Edward, led the cavalry out of the castle gates and headed southwards, in an attempt to prevent the fall of Iglius. The horses galloped through the night and they reached the borders of Iglius in the wee hours of the morning.
As they stepped into the town, they noticed that all seemed to be normal. Except a few farmers who had woken up early to work in the fields, most of the people in the town were still asleep.
However, there was no time to feel relieved as Ariton's forces could arrive any moment from now. Selera's immediate priority was to find a place to settle the group of soldiers, consisting of nearly a hundred men, as they were visibly tired after the trip.
Not long after, they found an inn that was big enough to house the men. After housing the horses at the stables, the soldiers went up to their respective rooms to clean up as Selera ordered the innkeeper to prepare a filling breakfast for all of them. Feeling parched and peckish, the soldiers came down quickly upon smelling the aroma of the food and they ate as much food as they could swallow.
After breakfast, Selera gathered them around the centre of the inn and allocated them their respective areas to patrol and keep watch.
"All of you will go in pairs. If you see Ariton, or the Perisher, or something unusual taking place, both of you will return to this inn to report to me. I repeat, both of you will return together. Do not leave anyone out to fight on his own. Understand?"
Seeing that her message had gotten through, Selera added, "Now I will need two volunteers for a special but important mission."
Two men stepped forward, and Selera briefed them on their task, before sending them off hastily. Edward, who was watching on the side, guessed that the two of them would be the ones returning to the castle to seek reinforcements.
When all of them, Edward asked, "So what's my role?"
Selera thought for a while, and answered, "You will be guarding this inn, which is our control station. If this last line of defence is also breached, we will head back to the castle and take refuge behind the walls. Also, if our soldiers return to report any suspicious activities, inform me and I will go out and gather the rest of them to get ready for any possible battle that might occur."
Bresburg was in a state of devastation. Houses and buildings had been set ablazed the night before and the fields and public amenities were destroyed and ravaged by the invaders. Debri accumulated all over the town as the battle had reduced the town to rubble. Corpses were littered in the streets and there was no living human in sight as the Dorians had either died in the battle or escaped to neighbouring towns.
The skeletal warriors, led by Ariton, had taken control of the town within hours as they caught the Dorians unaware in the night. Some of them had tried to confront the skeletal warriors with their weapons and knives, but these creatures came in huge and unbelievable numbers. Despite putting up a brave fight, the Dorians in Bresburg succumbed to defeat by midnight.
Having taken over Bresburg, Ariton effectively secured the east gate of the city of Doria. Moving quickly to consolidate his troops, he facilitated the movement of the skeletal warriors from the Perisher's cave into Bresburg as he looked set to continue his rampant stampede over the lands of Doria.